If there is one thing the administration cannot stand it's folks who try to play jurisdictional tax arbitrage. The UBS incident proved there is a zero tolerance policy here for unpatriotic individuals who try to skirt their responsibilities with the tax man. However, it turns out there is somebody who can get away with tax evasion and is bold enough to not even try to hide it. The US embassy in London is currently delinquent to the tune of £3,446,420 from accrued traffic congestion fees it has run up ever since the city imposed the £8 fee.
The US embassy spokesman said: "Our policy on the congestion tax is a long-standing policy decided on by Washington. The US government's position is that this a tax and therefore is prohibited by various treaties."
It's good to see there are at least some tax agreements the administration does not have any issues with.
Obama's ambassador to London will not pay congestion charge backlog [Guardian.co.uk]
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 1:28PM
Greg, Mate,
No other embassy pays the bloody tax either. Let's put up some NYC/UN diplomat traffic tickets stories to balance the issue out.
Cheers,
Nigel
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 1:33PM
INTERESTING CG FACT #10: In 2004, CG founded Chaz's Kids, a mentoring program aimed at teaching otherwise rational, well-adjusted youngsters to aggressively overreact to the slightest show of disrespect, real or perceived, by another person.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 1:42PM
omg, druries! Chinar! Canadar!
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 1:43PM
Greg, I'm going to take you to dinner at the finest steak restaurant in the city and force you to order salad.
-Jeff Macke
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 1:58PM
Greg,
I'll toss it.
Barney Frank
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:08PM
Amanda Drury should do an Abby Winters shoot.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:12PM
Gregorio,
@1 has just smacked you down. Do some research next time, willya?
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:13PM
@2- Good work. I think some info on CG's shaving habits and choice of anti-perspirants would also be interesting to readers.
Bess has been taking it easy on Charlie the G ever since he threatened to kick some bloggers' asses a few weeks back, and she is now going after Bernie, who is safely locked away.
Thanks for filling the void.
Pfluger
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:17PM
Those fees should not be there in the first place. This reminds me credit cards. They need to be sticked, otherwise they will stick it to you. Know how to get the score even
http://www.ira-site.com/creditcards/
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:22PM
9- Thanks Timmy.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:30PM
Greg,
This is something that I'd expect to be presented by a kid in an 8th grade civics class. Every dumbass knows no embassy pays this shit whether it's in London, NY, or your fucking evacuated sphincter.
And what is this crap about "The Administration?" Is that some fucking code word for you and your Ayn Rand cult to use when you're too much of a pussy to just say you hate liberals? FUCK there's not even a point to this story nevermind humor, common sense, or fucking mild relevancy.
For now on do us all a favor and take 10 fucking seconds to Google something before you post it---it's not like you're not in front of a fucking computer all day anyway.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:31PM
@8
Come on, give Bess a break. There's a lot more going on behind the scenes than you know about. CG has some tricks up his sleeve but those would not hurt Bess directly.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:34PM
@8 what the hell are you talking about? CG loves bess (it's gotten embarrassing how much he's said it on-air) and, if memory (the search box) serves correct, she called him "the local yokel" on her first day back.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:38PM
@12 -
OK, I'll lighten up. I guess I'm still hurt by Bess's unannounced absence last week. I'm hurt and angry.
Pfluger
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:44PM
@1 and @11 - I've never seen two more complete and thorough takedowns of a blogger in my life. Greg, I defend you often here, but it might be time to polish the old c.v. And @11 is right, your right wing 'reverse class warfare' politics are forced and bizarre. Maybe its time to go back to the 'leafy suburb' and suckle from daddy's teat.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 2:47PM
@14- see the last item here:
http://dealbreaker.com/2009/07/write-offs-073109.php
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 3:05PM
@16: Seems my anger and disappointment are misplaced. Sincere apologies to Bess, the finest journalist in the finance biz. I've come to rely heavily on Bess to keep up with Charlie's on-air rantings, personal interest stories about his physical prowess, and other random boasts.
@8: CG is up to something with this phony admiration. Buttering her up for something, but what??? Maybe CG is angling for Greg's job..
Pfluger
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 3:51PM
@1, @11, @15 - what in bloody FUCK are you talking about?
@11 in particular: you know-nothing dipshit, what does any of this have to do with your apparent man-love for Obama?
The story makes it quite clear that this isn't a dig at current or past administrations, they're equal opportunity offenders.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 4:04PM
@18, i.e., Greg - "It's good to see there are at least some tax agreements the administration does not have any issues with." You think he's referrinf to the Bush administration moron? It's a play on Obama going after tax cheats, etc. Greg's saying Obama is being hypocritical. @11 is saying Greg is always shitting on Obama's policies vis a vis the top 1 percent. Clearly you don't read good.
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 5:32PM
@18. Bloody hell!
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/06/22/2009-06-22_egypt_leads_nations_whose_diplomats_are_deadbeats_on_new_york_parking_tickets.html
""It is simply outrageous for diplomats to park illegally and blatantly ignore paying their parking tickets. New Yorkers have to face severe financial penalties if they do this and so should diplomats."
Foreign governments currently owe the city about $17 million overall."
Posted by guest , Aug 18, 2009 6:55PM
@1
Two quotes from the linked article:
"Around a quarter of embassies share the US view that they are exempt from the charge because it is a tax, and therefore not payable because of their diplomatic immunity."
"The mayor is deeply disappointed that it seems they may not choose to do so. The congestion charge is a service, not a tax, which is paid by the majority of embassies and millions of Londoners."
Posted by guest , Aug 19, 2009 4:33AM
@21-- 3/4 of the embassies aren't located within the congestion charge like the US is. If the London gov't had gone ahead with the western extension of the tax("service?" what a load of bollocks!), you can bet the US is going to be looking like Mother Theresa here.
Let's ask BoJo if the Queen pays the "service" charge or if she too is exempt from this tax. And in any event, the city won't have the US as its whipping boy much longer as its moving its ass right out of there to south of the river, in due course.